Automatic phonograph



et. 26, 1937. o. A. HOKANSON 2,096,718

I AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 18. 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 26, 1937. o. A. HOKANSON 2,096,718

7 AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPK.

Filed Aug. l8, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 26, 1937. O HQKANSON -2,096,718

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 18, 1936 8 Sheets$heet 5 1 .5. y l w .a. W a

gig 62 110 I69 5 1:42 1% N... 1E" 55 Oct. 26, 1937. o. A. HOKANSON AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 18, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 26, 1937. o. HOKANSON I AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Aug. 18, 1936 l 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ?a.t ented Get. 26, 1937 v p 2,096,718 AUTOMATIC rnonoonnrn Otto A. Hokanson, North Tonawanda, N. Y., as-

Signor, by mesne assignments, to Elie Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, (lincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 18, 1936, Serial No. 96,642

2% Claims. (Cl. 274-40) This invention relates to certain new and usethe various control elements. Figures 14, 15 and ful improvements'in automatic phonographs. 16 are fragmentary sectional views showing the One of its objects is the provision of an autovarious positions of the turntable andstack splitmatic selective phonograph wherein the records ting means during selection of a record for play.

are supported axially on the turntable in the Figure 17 is a cross section taken on linen-81, 5 form of a stack, and wherein means are provid Figure 14. Figure 18 is a detail side view of one ed for elevating the turntable to an elevation in of the selector controlled switches in its closed accordance with the record selected and for position. Figure 19 is a fragmentary top plan dividing or separating the stack at the record view of the clutch assembly. Figure 20 is a frag- 19 selected to provide a space for the movement mentary top plan view of the se1ector-contro1led10 of the tone arm for the playing of the record. clutch governing mechanism. Figure 21 is a A further object is to provide simple, reliable cross section taken on line 2l-2l, Figure 10. and efiicient means for automatically controlling Similar characters of reference indicatecorthe selection and playing of the records, in conresponding parts throughout the several views.

junction withmeans for simultaneously select- In its general organization, this automatic 15 ing a plurality of records at one time, whereby selector phonograph comprises a vertically rethe records selected will be automatically played ciprocating turntable which constitutes a supwithout attention on the part of the operator. port for a plurality of records disposed in stack- A still further object of the invention is the like fashion axially ofthe turntable; a selectorprovision of an automatic multi-selective phono elevating mechanism movable at a predeter- 20 graph whose various mechanisms are compactmined time into supporting engagement with ly arranged to occupy a minimum of space, and those records in the stack immediately above the wherein the parts are so designed and constructone pre-selected iorplay, for elevating such suped as to be reliable in operation. ported records to split the stack and provide an.

25 Other features of the invention reside in the operating space for the movement of the tone construction and arrangement of parts hereinarm during the playing of the selected records; after described and particularly pointed out in atone arm mounted to swing in a definite horithe appended claims. zontal plane and pivoted to swing vertically into In the accompanying drawingsz engagement with the record or to a position to Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, clear it when the tone arm is returned to its 30 of the automatic multi-selective phonograph eminitial position after playing the record; an elebodying my invention. Figure 2 is a front elevavating mechanism for the turntable which function of the same, partlyin section. Figure 3 is tions to elevate 'the turntable to varied elevaa side elevation thereof taken from the side options corresponding to those of the records seposlte to that viewed in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a lected, and operating at a time prior to that of 35 top plan view of the same, the turntable being the selector-elevating mechanism to bring the seshown in dotted lines. Figure 5 is an enlarged lected record at its proper playing elevation, transverse section taken substantially in the after which such selector-elevating mechanism plane of line 5-5, Figure 4. Figure-6 is anensplits the record stack and moves it a definite 40 larged transverse section taken on line 6-6, Figand constant height, as compared with the ele- 4 ure 4. Figure '7 is a horizontal section taken subvating mechanism of the turntable which moves stantially in the plane of line 'l-'l, Figure 3. the turntable a variable height to efiect and Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical secgovern the selection; and a plurality of selector tion taken in the plane of line 8-8, Figure 4. members or push buttons for simultaneously se- Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan lectlng at the will of the user a plurality of rec- 45 view, partly in section, of the selector control ords to be played and inluded in a selective con mechanism, showing the position of the parts trol circuit which governs the automatic playing when the phonograph is in non-playing posiof the records selected. I tion. Figure 10 is a diagrammatic perspective Referring now to the drawings, showing more view of the control mechanism of. the phonoparticularly the chassis of a phonograph, 20 50 graph. Figure llls a side elevation, partly in secv indicates a supporting platform or frame upon tion, of the tone arm-and its associated parts. which the working parts of the phonograph are Figure 12 is a vertical transverse section taken mounted, and which platform, in practice, is on line 12-42, Figure 11. Figure 13 is a diamounted in a cabinet ofappropriate design, the

grammatic View of the electric circuit including numeral 20 indicating a portion. of the'cabinet. 55

supported in suitable trays on carriers 34.

The tone arm, indicated generally at 2 I, may be of usual construction and is mounted to amume a definite horizontal plane of movement. The turntable 22 is mounted on an upright spindle 23 whose lower portion 2! is keyed or feathered to a revolving sleeve 25 applied to an upright bearing member It secured to the platform 2|! and having a driven gear 21 thereon meshing with a drive pinion 28 secured to the shaft 29 of an electric motor 30. The lower portion 24 of the spindle may be hollow, as shown, to receive a spring ll serving to cushion the movement of the turntable to its loweredposition. The upper portion 32 of the spindle constitutes a guide post for the records 33, the latter being As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, the records are disposed in superposed relation in the form of a stack, being normally directly supported on the turntable, and being capable of sliding on the spindle-extension 32 during the selection of the desired record to be played. It will be also observed in these figures that the peripheral edges of the record trays 34 slope upwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 35, whereby resulting shoulders it are provided at the bottom peripheral edges of the trays, the whole stack giving the appearance, at the periphery profile, of a series of ratchet teeth, all for a purpose to be. hereinafter described. Depending from the turn tableabout its spindle 23 is a collar 31 with which the elevating mechanism for the turntable is adapted to engage.

The means for elevating the turntable to variable heights in accordance with the selected record to be played and for lowering it after play consists-of an actuating arm 38 whose outer end is supported for relative sliding and pivotal movements in a bracket 3!, and. whose outer bifurcated end embraces the revolving spindle-sleeve 25 and bears against the underside of the turntablecollar 31, so that when this arm is vertically actuated it causes the vertical reciprocation of the turntable. Intermediate its ends the arm 38 has a roller ll which engages a cylindrical elevating cam I applied to a sleeve 42 fixed on an upright shaft 43 which is driven at predetermined times in thecycle of operations of the machine from the motor shaft 29 to elevate the turntable to different record-playing elevations.

Motion is transmitted to the cam shaft 43 from the motor shaft 29 through the medium of a gear 44 mounted on an upright stub shaft 45 "having a bevel gear ll thereon which meshes with a like gear 41 mounted on a horizontal shaft 40 Journaled in suitable bearings applied to the plat form 20,. Loosely mounted on this shaft is a clutch-controlled gear 40 meshing with a similar gear 5. fixed on one end of a counter shaft 51 likewise journaled in suitable bearings applied to the platform and provided at its opposite end with'a worm l2 meshing with a worm wheel 53 fixed to the cam shaft 43. A sliding clutch collar ll keyed to the. shaft 48, and actuated by a clutch lever 55, serves at predetermined times to clutch the gear I! to said shaft and accordingly transmit motion to the cam shaft 43.

Mechanism, hereinafter described, is provided for automatically shifting the clutch lever to its applied-and released positions to transmit motion to the turntable elevating cam and arrest it at the predetermined elevation corresponding to that at which the selected record is played.

After the selected record in the stack is, moved by the turntable to its predetermined playing elevation, and which elevation is variable for each record because of the fact that the tone arm of thephonograph remains ata fixed eleing the playing of the selected record. By preference, this elevating of the records to split or divide the stack verticallyis accomplished as follows:-

Disposed at diametrically Opposite sides of the turntable for releasable interlocking engagement with the records to support and elevate them above the plane of movement of the tone arm are pairs of upright supporting arms 8! which at predetermined times are adapted to be automatically brought into supporting engagement with those records above the selected one to elevate them and againto be automatically lowered and subsequently released therefrom after the playing of a selected record and before the selection of another record. Each pair of supporting arms constitutes part of an up ght U-shaped rock bar 51 pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis in a supporting frame 5| which'is U-shaped in plan, as seen in Figure 4, with the rock bars disposed in the leg portions thereof. Connected to the Q leg portions of this supporting frame to raise and lower. the same, are elevating units which maybe in the form of crossed levers is pivoted intermediate their ends to one another at El and slidingly and pivotally Joined at their free ends to the frame 58 andto brackets 6i rising from the platform 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Also connected to the ends of the web portion of the 'U-frame 58 are similar crossed levers 62 which are pivoted intermediate their ends at 63 and ends to the U-frame and to extensions 64 formed on one set of the brackets OI, as shown in Figure 2. By this construction, as the sets of levers 59 and 82 are expanded and contracted, the rec ord-engaging arms '58 are simultaneously raised and lowered, as a unit, the levers acting after the fashion of lazy tongs. Applied to the pivot I of the cross levers I2 is a roller 85 which en-v gages a substantially spiral-shaped cam groove 88 formed in a revolving sleeve or cylindrical cam 61 mounted on an upright shaft I for moving the record-engaging arms to and from a constant elevation. Motion is transmitted to the cam shaft I! from the motor shaft 29 through are slidingly and pivotally joined at their free collar 54 is mounted. This collar, when shifted to the right, viewing Figure 7; engages a gear it loosely mounted on the shaft 48 and meshing with a like gear I. fixed on a countershaft ll. Also mounted on the latter is a worm 12 meshing with a worm wheel II fixed on the lower end of the cam shaft 68. Thus, when the clutch collar 64 is coupled with the gear N, motion is transmitted to the cam shaft to cause the crossed levers to expand and contract and accordingly raise and lower the record-supporting arms I.

In the lowered retracted position of the supporting arms 56, shown in Figure 14, the toothed record-engaging portions I4 thereof assume a definite predetermined elevation relative to the horizontalv plane of movement of the tone arm, the top record of the stack being below that'elevation, so that when the turntable is elevated to a predetermined height to play a selected record, as shown in Figure 15, the upwardlyfacing shoulders of the arm-teeth I4 will be so the selected record and upon expansion of the cross levers 59 and 62 the records supported by these arms will accordingly be elevated, as shown in Figure 16, to provide an operating clearance space for the tone arm. The means for rocking the bars' 51 carrying the record-engaging arms 56 inwardly, after the selected record has been brought by the turntable to an elevation corresponding to its playing position, consist of actuating fingers or extensions l anchored at their upper ends to the rock bars and provided at their lower ends with follower-pins 16 which are adapted to engage upright cam bars ii. In the lowered position of the U-irame 58, shown in Figures 14 and 15, theseiollower pins contact the companion cams immediately below their shoulders it, at which time the record-engaging arms 5% are in their retracted position and free from engagement with the peripheral edges of the record trays. Immediately upon the upward movement of this U-frame because of the expansion of the levers 59 and t2, the actuating fingers 15 are swung outwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 15 and the record-engaging arms are swung inwardly into gripping engagement with the peripheral lower edge of the adjoining record-tray, or that record immediately above the one positioned forplay. The means for governing the selection of the records and the selector mechanisms for controlling the raising and lowering of the turntable as well as the raising and lowering of those re cords in the stack above the selected one for play, are preferably constructed as follows:

Mounted conveniently on the phonograph cabinet are a plurality of selector rods til having buttons or heads El at their front ends which correspond to the number of records in the stack and which extend through a face plate or panel 821, the faces of the buttons being suitably marked by number or. otherwise to correspond with the records. Springs 33 applied to the selector rods serve constantly to maintain them in the normal retracted position. shown in Figure 8. These selector rods are disposed in a row and each abuts at its'inner end against thelower arm of a companion upright lever 86, the upper arm of such lever having a notch 35 therein with which the adjoining arm of a companion vertically-swinging'bell crank lever 66; pivoted at $1, is adapted to normally interlatch. The other arm of thisbell crank lever carries an abutment 88 which is adapted to close an electric switch as when, the lever M is released from interlocking engagement with the bell crank by depressing a selector rod 86, a spring 9% applied to this bell crank tendingto swingsuch lever in g a direction to close said switch. Each switch 89 is included in an electric circuit for governing the-shifting of the clutch 56,55, at a' predetermined time, irom its operative position, in engagement with the gear 49 to rotate the counter-shaft 5i and elevate the turntable 22, to its other operative position in engagement with the gear 59 to elevate the'stack above the record selected for play. Leading from each switch 89, one of which is associated .with each selector rod 80, is a wire 95 which is connected to the companion post or terminal 92 of an annular row of terminals corresponding in number to the selector push rods 80 and with which a revolvable contact arm 93 is adapted toengage. This contact arm is fixed on a shaft 94 having a gear 95 thereon meshing with a worm 96 applied to the outer end of the counter shaft 5!, as shown in Figures '7 and 10, said arm being rotated simultaneously with the drive mechanism controlling the vertical movements of the turntable. It should be noted here, that when a selector rod is pushed inwardly to close the circuit including its companion switch 89, that simultaneously with such movement, a master switch 91, included in the circuit 98 of the drive motor 30, is automatically closed to start the motor, should it not be closed at the time of the selection. This closing of the motor switch is accomplished by a tappet arm 99 applied to a vertically-swinging bail iDD which is disposed beneath and in the path of movement of the horizontal arms of the several bell crank levers 86 associated with the selector rods Bil. This tappet is adaptedto revlease a latch bar llli. from a shoulder I02 on,

themovable member H13 of the motor switch,

a spring tilt applied to the latter tending constantly to swing the movable member in a direction to close the switch. Thus, should the .motor switch be opened at the time a selection is made by depressing a given selector rod, the bell crank t6 companion to that rod will be swung in a direction to accordingly rock the bail 80d downwardly and move its tappet 99 in a direction to release the latch ill! from the movable switch member i133 and allow the spring ltd to close the motor switch and start the mo-' tor. From the foregoing it will be seen that the depression of a selector rod will not only start the drive motor 35 to rotate the turntable and elevate it, but will also; by closing the switch 852, establish the circuit including the revolving switch arm 93 and the contacts 92 and thereby control the elevation 03 the turntable to a height corresponding to that assumed by the record selectedat the selecting panel 82.

Rotatable with the counter-shaft 5! is a cam Hill which controls the making and breaking of a switch 36 included in the circuit of the arm $3 and one terminal of which is connected by a wire llll with the shaft 9 ito which said arm is fastened. The relative speed of the contactarzn shaft 96 is such that for each revolution of the counter shaft 5| the contact arm 93 travels a distance equal to that between two adjoining terminals 92. The other terminal of this switch is connected by a wire Hi8 with an electromagnet Hi9 whose arrnature H0 is joined'to a horizontally-swinging arm Hi pivoted at M2 to a fulcrum-plate H3 pivoted to an upright pivot pin lit and free to swing in a limited path between adjustable stops H5. A spring H6 constantly urges this fulcrum-plate against one of the stops, as seen in Figure 7. Disposed alongside the arm ill and in edgewise contact therewith to be moved thereby, is a trip arm Ill, which, when the electromagnet IDS-is energized, is swung to a position in the path of a tappet pin H8 applied to the hub of the bevel gear M of the upright shaft 85: When this pin encounters the trip arm 'I H, as shown in Figure 20, it further swings such arm into contacting relation with the opposing free end of a shifting bar H9 connected to the clutch-actuating lever 55, and shifts the clutch collar it out of driving engagement with the gear G9 to arrest the rotation of the counter shaft 5I and its associated parts, and bring the turntable to rest at the elevation required for playing the selected record corresponding to that of the depressed push rod 80. A spring 1* serves to normally retain the armature-carrying arm II I out of contact with the magnet and the trip arm II1 retracted and out of the path of travel of the tappet pin II8.

The projected movement of the trip arm I I1 by the trip pin I I8 is sufilcient to shift the clutch 54, 55 into clutching engagement with the gear 69 to in turn transmit motion to the cam shaft 68 to cause the crossed levers 59, 62 to expand and accordingly raise the record supporting arms 56 to lift those records above the one selected for play and provide an operating space for the tone arm. Mounted on the cam shaft 68 for controlling the shifting of the clutch to a neutral position, and arrest the movement of the elevated stack at a predetermined position, is a cam I28 provided in its periphery with a comparatively deep notch I2I and a comparatively shallow notch I22. Pivoted at I23 alongside this cam in bearing contact therewith is a horizontallyswinging lever I24 which is provided with a recessed portion I25 forming a shoulder I26 for cooperative engagement with one or. the other of the notches I2I, I22. At its free end the lever I24 has pivotally connected thereto an oscillatable tie bar or link I21, shown in Figures 10 and 19, whose free end is reduced in width to provide a shoulder I28 adapted to abut against construction, when the clutch 54, 55 is automatically shifted out of clutching engagement with the gear 49' and into clutching engagement with the gear 69, the tie bar I21 is accordingly shifted with it to swing the lever I24 in a direction to release its notched shoulder I26 from the cam notch I2I, and accordingly permit the cam shaft I68 to revolve to elevate the record-engaging arms 56. A spring I30 applied to the lever- I24 constantly urges it toward the cam-periphery and when the arms 56 have reached their maximum height, shown in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 16, the lever automatically swings into the shallow notch I22 of'the cam and simultaneously actuates the tie bar I21 to shift the clutch to neutral position and thereby arrest the record-engaging arms at the predetermined elevationrequired for playing the selected record.

After a given selector rod 88 has been depressed to select a record of play, its spring 83 immediately returns it to initial position- However, it

is necessary to restore the companion-matched switch-control bell crank lever 86 from its posi- 22 has been elevated to its play position, and this is preferably accomplished automatically during the time that the record stack is split and being elevated clear of the selected record to be played. To this end, one of the parts revolving with the stack-elevating cam shaft 68, say the driven gear 13, is provided with a tappet pin I3I adapted to engage one arm of an L-shaped trip lever I82 pivoted at I83. The other arm of this trip lever engages an oscillatory crank I34 iournaled in bearing plates I35 between which the levers 84 and 86 are disposed and has a roller I86free to slide lengthwise thereof for contacting with one or another of the depending arms of the bell crank levers 86. A spring I31 urges the crank into abutting relation with the trip lever I32. Thus, when the tappet I 3I strikes the lever I32 it causes the crank I 34 to rock in a direction to swing the bell crank lever 86 upwardly and-bring its free end into latching engagement with the notched end of the selector rod engaging lever 84, as shown in Figure 8, and open the companion selector-controlled switch 89.

The means for actuating the tone arm 2| to lected for play, after the turntable 22 has been elevated and the stack of records split above the selected one as heretofore described, and for returning the tone arm to its initial starting position after the selected record has been played, is preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral I38 indicates the upright supporting post or column about which the tone arm revolves in a definite horizontal plane, the tone arm being pivoted to swing vertically about a pivot I39 appliedto an upright stem I49 journaled in a step bearing I of the post I 38, this vertical swinging of the tone arm being. necessary in bringing its reproducing needle I42 into engagement with a record for play or out of engagement therewith when swinging outwardly over the record after play. Forwardly of its pivot I39, the tone arm is provided with a depending lower end between a relatively fixed radial stop I44 and a yieldable stop I45 pivoted at I45 and including a spring I41 which acts at a predetermined time to force the tone arm inwardly into position over the sound groove of the record to be played. At its lower end the depending stay bar has an offset lug I48 provided with a projection I49 which is adapted to control the closing of a switch I50 when the tone arm reaches the end of its playing position. This switch is disposed alongside the post I38 and is in an electric circuit including a solenoid I5I and wires I52 and I53. When this switch is closed at the end of the playing of the record, the solenoid is energized and its core or plunger I54 is disposed to laterally swing the tie bar I21 in a direction to release its shoulder I28 from engagement with the yoke portion I29 of the clutch lever 55, whereupon a spring I55 connected to said lever acts to automatically shift the clutch collar 54 into driving engagement with the gear 69 to transmit motion to the cam shaft 68 which controls the raising and lowering of the record-engaging arms 56. Also mounted on this cam shaft is a cam I56 for controlling the return swinging movement of the tone arm to its outward position at atime prior to that in which the cylindrical cam 61 functions to contract the crossed levers 59, 62 to lower the record-supporting fingers 56 to restore the split portion of the stack onto the turntable. For this purpose the cam I 56 has an inwardly and outwardly directed groove I51 therein withwhich a bring it into play position over the record sea I I38; is adapted to engage to swing such yoke out-- I65, pivoted at I66 to the upper end of the post wardly into abutting engagement with a projection I61 on the lower end of the pendant stay bar I43 to thereby swing the tone arm upwardly about its pivot I39 to b ring the needle I42 clear of the record. The stop I44 associated with the depending stay bar of the tone'arm, is attached to the sleeve I63, while the yieldable stop I45 is attached to a supporting bracket I68 secured to the post I38.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the turntable is elevated to play a selected record and the split portionof the stack is elevated, that the tone arm is in its outwardly swung and upwardly tilted position by reason of the cam I64 engaging the pendant yoke I I 65 which in turn abuts against the lower end of the depending stay bar I43 of the tone arm to hold the latter in the position shown in Figure 11. During the final stage of elevating the split portion of the stack of records the ingress portion I51 of the groove I51 of the tone arm controlling cam I56 encounters the pin I58 on the lever I59 and swings the latter in a direction to turn the sleeve I63 clockwise, viewing Figure 9, so that the sleevecarried stop I44 is moved away from the stay bar I43 of the tone arm, thereby allowing the springpressed stop I45 to act on such bar to force the tone arm inwardly over the record to starting po;

all to the end that when a given recordis selected and the turntable raised to the elevation for playing it,. the "roller I36*"will be accordingly shifted to a position on the crank I34 in alinement with the bell crank 86 of the selector button 80 companion to the selected record.

The notched lever I24 which cooperates with the notches I2I, I22 in the cam I20 also performs an additional function when the deep .notch I2I is engaged and when the spring I30 rocks such lever in the direction to shift the clutch 54, into position to lower the tumtable 22. During such time, a depending lug I15 on the lever I24 contacts one end of a horizontally-swinging lever I16 pivoted intermediate its ends at I11 and having a lug I18 at its other .end which contacts one arm of a vertically-swinging bell crank lever I19 fulcrumed at I80. To the other arm of this bell crank lever is pivoted the latch IOI which cooperates with the movable member I03 of the motor switch 01 to hold it open. Thus, when the lever I24 is swung in- .wardly into engagement with the deep notch I22 of the cam I20, the bell crank lever I19 is rocked in a direction to bring the latch IOI into engagement with the movable switch member I03 to restore it to open position. This main motor switch 91 will only be opened under the condi tions just described when the record corresponding to the last selector push rod depressed has sition for play. As shown in Figure 7, the stop been. played. When records corresponding to additional depressed push rods are to be played,

allowed to drop by gravity to bring its needle. I42

into engagement with the sound groove of the record. It willbe noted in Figure 7 that during the playing of the record the lever pin I50 assumes the position shown in said figure, where it I is in the innermost or crotch portion of the cam ing one, of the selector rods 80, means are provided for shifting theroller I36 axially of the crank I34 to bring the roller to a position in register with the companion bell crank lever 86. associated with thatpush rod so as to be in readiness torestore that lever to its initial position when the selection is completed. To this end, a horizontally-swinging lever I10 is provided 'which is bifurcated at its free end, as indicatedat IN, to embrace the roller and shift it in accordance with ,the movements of the lever. This lever is actuated during the rotation of the elevating cam-shaft 43 for raising and lowering the turntable to the height at which the selected record is to be played, and for this purpose a cam I12 is fixed on this shaft, in peripheral contact with a projection I13 on a link I14 pivotally connected to the lever I10. The turntableelevating cam 4i and the roller-actuating cam I12 are so gyrated and proportibned as to effect like stages of movement to the parts controlled, respectively,

position under such conditions and its tappet arm 94 is therefore in a position to hold the latch I III clear of the latching shoulder I02 on the movable push member I03, whereby the latch is not permitted to actuate such switch member and open the switch.

Inaddition to the main selector-rod operated motor switch 91, there is also provided a second motor switch I8I operated independently and automatically of the main one to keep the motor circuit closed at such times as the main motor switch may be opened. This is necessary because the main switch 31 is opened by the lever I24 and associated parts immediately after the record-elevating' mechanism has restored the records onto the turntable and before the turntable islowered to its initial position. Hence the purpose of this second switch I8I is to keep the m0.-

- tor 30 running so that the counter-shaft 5i associated with the turntable-elevating cam 4|, will continue turning to lower the turntable to its initial position. Applied to the gear 53 of the elevating cam shaft 43 is a trip pin I82 which is adapted to engage a horizontally-swinging lever I 83 carrying one of the contacts of the switch .I8I; as shown in Figures 10 and 19. A" spring I84 connected to this lever constantly'urges it to swing in a direction to close the switch, and the pin I82 serves to swing the lever in the opposite direction to effect the opening of the switch. During the lowering of the turntable 22, the trip pin I82 encounters the' switch-controlled lever I83 and opens the switch. When the machine is started up by depressing one of the selector rods the main motor switch is closed and the elevating cam shaft 43 is turned, at which time the trip pin recedes from engagement with the switchlever I83 and the spring I84. thereupon-closes the switch ill. main motor switch 91 closes whenever a selector button is depressed, and remains closed until the last record or the group of push buttons, which may have been depressed, has been played, and

that at that time the-auxiliary motor switch i8! is momentarily opened and closed during the cycle of record-changing operations and is only left open when the last record has been played.

10 Furthermore, the initial movement of the mo- Should it be desired to cancel or arrest the playthis solenoid is energized, in the same manner ing of a record selected, and-while it is being played, a cancelling switch I85 is provided which is included in the circuit of the solenoid ISI. Upon closing this switch, which may be conveniently located at the front side of the cabinet,

as it is energized when the tone arm 2| reaches the end of playing a record, and'its plunger I54 is forced outwardly against the oscillatable bar I21 to release it from latching engagement with the clutch lever 55 and thereby effect the stage of. operations to swingthe tone arm outwardly and restore the split stack and turntable to their l j nitial positions.

I claim as my invention:

. 1. In an automatic phonograph, a vertically adjustable turntable adapted to support a stack of records, a tone arm supported for swinging movement in a horizontabplane, means for elevating the turntable to variable heights to bring a selected record in playing position relative to the tone arm, and record-engaging means for supporting and elevating those records of the stack above the record selected for play to provide an overhead clearance space for the travel of the tone arm vduring playing of the selected record.

2. In an automatic phonograph, a vertically adiustable'turntable adapted to support a stack of records, a tone arm supported for swinging movement in a horizontal plane, record-engaging means for supporting and elevating those records of, the stack above the record selected for play to provide an overhead clearance space for the playing movement of the tone arm, and means for selectively controlling in predetermined sequence the elevation of the turntable to a recordselecting playing position and the record-engaging means to an elevation to provide said clearance space.

3. In an automatic selective phonograph, a

tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable adapt-.

ed to support a stack of records and movable to diflerent elevations corresponding to the record selected for play,'means for elevating said turntable, means engageable with those records above the one selected for play for supporting and elevating them above the plane of the selected record to provide an overhead clearance space for the movement or the tone arm, means for actu ating said record-engaging means, and a plurality oi selector control devices corresponding -in number to the records for selectively controlling the correlated action 01' said turntable-ele- 70 vating means and said record-engaging actuating means.

4. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable adapted to support a stack of records and movable to different elevations corresponding to the record It will thus be seen that the selected for play, means for elevating said turntable, means engageable with those records above the one selected for play for supporting and ele-j vating them above the plane of the selected record to provide an overhead clearance space for the movement of the tone arm. means for actuating said record-engaging means, means for simultaneously selecting a plurality of records to be played, and means governed'by said selecting means for successively controlling said turn-v table elevatin'g means and saldreeord-engaging actuating means.

5. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable adapted to support a stack of records and movable to table, means engageable with those records above the one selected for play for supporting and elevating them above the plane of the selected record to provide an overhead clearance space for the movement of the tone arm, means for actuating said record-engaging means, means governed by said record-engaging actuating means for controlling the movements of the tone arm to and .from its playing position, and a plurality selected for play, means for elevating said turntable, means engageable with those records above the one selected for play for supporting and elevating them above the plane oi the selected record to provide an overhead clearance space for the movement 01' the tone arm, means for actuating said record-engaging means, means for selectively controlling in predetermined sequence the elevation 01' the turntable and record-engaging means to a selected record-playing position and for effecting, after the playing pf the. record, the lowering of said record-engaging means and said turntable from their selective play positions.

7. In an automatic selective phonograph; a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable adapted to support a stack of records and movable to different elevations corresponding to the record selected for play, means for elevating said tumtable, means engageable with those records above the one selected for play for supporting and elevating them above the plane oi! the selected record to provide an overhead clearance space for the movement of the tone arm, means for actuating said record-engaging means, means for selecting a record or records to .be played and controlling the movements oi the turntable and the record-engaging means in predetermined se quence to record-playing position, means for preaxially displacing those records of the stack above.

different elevations corresponding to the record selected for play, means for elevating said turn* ,senting the tone arm to playing P0 tion and for a selected one for play to provide an operating support a stack of records and movable to'different selective elevations to present the records selected. to the plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable with the rec-- ords and movable vertically relatively to the turntable to split the record-stack and support it axially above the record selected to provide an operating clearance for the tone arm, and means for actuating the foregoing means.

10. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records, means for moving the turntable to difierent-elevations in accordance with the positions of the records in the stack to present a selected record for engagement with the tone arm, means for splitting the stack at the record selected and for elevating those records above it to provide an operating clearance for the tone arm, means for selecting a record or records to be played, and means governed by said selecting means for controlling the actuation of the turntable moving means and thestack-splitting and elevating means.

11. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records, "means for moving the turntable from an initial position to different elevations in accordance with the positions of the ,records in the stack to present a selected record for engagement with the tone arm and for returning the turntable to its initial position after the playing of the selected record, means for splitting the stack at the record selected and for elevating those records above it to provide an operating clearance for the tone arm and for returning the split portion of the stack onto theturntable after the playing of the selected, record, means for selecting a record or records to be played, means governed by said selecting means for controlling the actuation of the turntable moving means and the stack-splitting and elevating means to their respective record-play position, and means initiated by the actuation of the tone arm after the playing of the selected record for controlling the actuation of said turntable moving means and said stack-splitting means to their initial positions. v

12. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records and movable to different selective elevations to present the records selected to the plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable with the records and movable vertically relatively to the turntable to split the record-stack above the record selected to provide an operating clearance for the playing movement of the tone arm, an electric crningthe selective movements of said turntable motor including clutch-controlled means for govdiflerent selective elevations to present the records selected to the plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable with the records and movable vertically relatively to the turntableto split the record-stack above the record selected to provide'an operating clearance for the playing movement of thetone arm, clutchcontrolled drive means for moving the turntable and record-engaging means to record play positions, and means for selecting a record or records to be played and automatically controlling the clutch-controlled means to successively arrest the turntable at an elevation to play the selected record and cause the movement of the record-engaging means to split the record-stack.

14. In an automatic selctivephonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack ,of records and movable to different-selective elevations .to present the records selected to the plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable with the records and movable vertically relatively to the turntable. to split the record-stack above the record selectedto provide an operating clearance for the playing movement of the tone arm, a drive means includinga clutch and counter-shafts controlled thereby and operatively connected to said turntable and said record-engaging means, respectively, for moving said parts to and from their selective play positions, means for selecting a record or records to be played, means governed thereby for releasing the clutch from the turntable operating shaft to arrest the turntable at the elevation corresponding to that for playing I ords selected to the. plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable with the records and movable vertically relatively to the turntable to split the record-stack above the record selected to provide an operating clearance io-rthe playing movement of the tone arm, a

drive means including a clutch and countershafts controlled thereby and operatively connected to said turntable and said record-engaging means, respectively, for moving said parts to and from the selective play positions, means for selecting a' record or records to be played, means governed thereby for releasing the clutch from the turntable operating shaft to arrest the turntable at the elevation corresponding tothat for playing the record selected and for engaging the clutch with the record-engaging operating shaft to split and elevate the stack, means for shifting the clutch to, neutral position upon the splitting of the stack, and means initiated by the actuation of the tone arm after the playing of the selected record to control the clutch to successively lower the split stack and the turntable, respectively.

16. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable. for supporting a stack of records and movable to difierent selective elevations to present the records selected to the plane of movement of the tone arm, means releasably engageable. with the records and movable vertically relatively to the turntable to split the record-stack above the record selected to provide an operating clearance for the playing movement of the tone arm, a drive means including a clutch and counter-shafts controlled thereby and operatively connected to said turntable and said record-engaging means, respectively, for moving said parts to and from their selective play positions, means for selecting a record or records to be played, means governed thereby for releasing the clutch from the turntable operating shaft to arrest the turntable at the elevation corresponding to'that for playing the record selected and for engaging the clutch with the record-engaging operating shaft to split and elevate the stack, means for shifting the clutch to neutral position upon the splitting of the stack, means governed by the tone arm upon the completion of playing the selected records for shifting the clutch into operating position to lower the split stack and means governed by said record-engaging means for-shitting the clutch from such position to a position to lower the turntable after the split portion of the stack has been restored onto the turntable.

17. In an automatic selective phonograph, .a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records, means for moving theturntable to different elevations in accordance with the positions of the records in ,the stack to present a selected record forengagement with the tone arm, means for splitting the stack at the record selected and for elevating those records above it to provide an operating clearance for the tone arm, means for selecting a record or records to be. played, an electric motor including clutch-controlled means for governing the selective movements of said tumtable and said record-engaging-means, a switch for said motor controlled by said selecting means, and means governed by said selecting means for actuating said clutch-controlled means to selectively position the pre-selected record for play.

18. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, avertically' adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records, means for moving the turntable to different elevations in accordance with the positions of the records in the stack to present a selected record for engagement with switch, anauxiliary switch for said motor, means controlled by said turntable moving means for opening and closing said auxiliary switch at predetermined times, and means controlled by the actuation of said stack-splitting means for restoring said main switch to its open position.

19. In an automatic selective phonograph, a tone arm, a vertically adjustable turntable for supporting a stack of records, means for moving the turntable from an initial position. to different elevations in accordance with the positions oi the records in the stack to present a selected record for engagement with the tone arm and for returning the turntable to its initial position after the playing of the selected record, means for splitting the stack at the record selected and for elevating those records above it to provide an operating clearance for the tone arm and for returning the split portion of the stack onto the turntable after the playing of the selected record, an electric motor including clutch-controlled means for governing the selective movements of said turntable and said stack-splitting means, a

plurality of record-selector elements corresponding in number to the records, a switch for said motor, means for closing said switch when any one of said selector elements is moved to a recordselecting position, electrically-controlled means initiated by the actuation of a selectorelement for governing said clutch-controlled means to control the selective movements of the turntable and the stack splitting means to their-.record play positions in accordance with the record selected, and means initiated by the actuation of the tone arm after the playing of the selected record for governing said clutch-controlled means to restore the stack-splitting means and the turntable to their initial positions. a

20. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable, a tone. arm, motor-driven means for selectively presenting the records in playing position with the tone arm, and electrically-controlled means for said motor-driven means comprising a plurality o! selector rods corresponding in number to the records, an electric circuit including a corresponding number of switches, meanscompanion to said selector rods and actuated thereby for closimv, the respective switches when therods are selected to govern said motor-driven means and play the records selected, and means common to said selector rod companion means and selectively registrable at a'predetermined time with a given previously actuated companion means to move it ina direction to open, its respective switch.

. Q'I'IO A. HOKAN S ON. 

